The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to link electoral rolls to Aadhaar number has been passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday, amidst continued protests from Opposition members. It is listed for consideration and passing in the list of Legislative Business for the Rajya Sabha.
The Bill allows electoral registration officers to ask for Aadhaar numbers of applicants wanting to register as voters to establish the identity of the applicant. Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, clarified that linking of Aadhar to Electoral Photo Identity Card is voluntary.
It also seeks to allow the officers to ask for the number from “persons already included in the electoral roll for the purposes of authentication of entries in electoral roll, and to identify registration of name of the same person in the electoral roll of more than one constituency or more than once in the same constituency”.
Here are the latest updates:
Rajya Sabha | 2.30 p.m.
Speaking on the Election (Amendment) Bill, Sushil Modi of BJP says, “Opposition members who were part of the standing committee that recommended linking voter i card with Aadhar had supported this.”
“In Bengal, TMC won because of bogus voters list, if voter card is linked to Aadhar, then lakhs of bogus names will be deleted , they fear this. They are opposing this to save their vote bank,” the BJP MP alleged.
Lok Sabha | 2.25 p.m.
‘Consult stake holders before bringing the Bill’
Supriya Sule of NCP and K Kanimozhi (DMK) opposes the manner the bill has been introduced. Both of them argue for stake holder consultations and feedback from civil society.
“The Bill needs to be scrutinized, I condemn the way this Government brings all the Bills,” Supriya Sule adds.
Responding, Smriti Irani says, “we are 75 years late in a democracy to give equal rights to enter into matrimony.” “To say that rural women can’t exercise their right is an insult to them,” the Union Minister adds.
Lok Sabha | 2.15 p.m.
Prohibition of the Child Marriage Amendment Bill moved for introduction
Union minister Smriti Irani moves the Prohibition of the Child Marriage Amendment Bill for introduction. She says it’s a step towards gender equality and empowerment.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury opposes and asks the bill to be sent to a standing committee, says stake holders have not been consulted.
Saugata Roy of Trinamool Congress and AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi oppose the Bill. Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM says an 18-year-old can vote and elect a Prime Minister, have sexual relations under POCSO Act but can’t marry. What message are we sending
E.T. Mohammed Basheer of Indian Union Muslim League, says it is an attack on personal law.
Lok Sabha | 2.10 p.m.
Opposition members continue to raise slogans. Some of the members have also assembled at the Well of the House, raising slogans and holding placards.
Opposition members raise slogans and hold placards at the Well of the Lower House. Videograb: Lok Sabha TV
Rajya Sabha | 2 p.m.
Rajya Sabha resumes
Rajya Sabha too resumes amidst protests by Opposition members. “This is not the agenda,” the Chair says, but the Opposition members continue to raise the issue of suspension of 12 MPs.
Amidst Opposition protests, Election laws amendment bill 2021 moved in Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha | 2 p.m.
Lok Sabha resumes
Opposition MPs continue to demand the removal of MoS Home Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’. “We’re not against any individual, we’re with the farmers,” Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury starts.
Lok Sabha | 11:50 am
Lok Sabha adjourned till 2.00 p.m.
The Lower House has been adjourned till 2.00 p.m. amid protests by the Opposition.
Lok Sabha | 11:40 am
Questions concerning DDU-GKY scheme are being entertained in the Lower House.
Rajya Sabha | 11:13 am
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2.00 p.m.
The Upper House has been adjourned till 2.00 p.m. amid protests by the Opposition.
Rajya Sabha | 11:12 am
Chairman informs the House that the Business Advisory Committee in its meeting yesterday has allotted three hours for government business which incldes the consideration and passing of Election Laws (Amendment) bill as passed by Lok Sabha. Following this announcement, Mallikarjun Kharge voiced his opposition, asking “Why we should accept it?”
Chairman responded, “Don’t accept it. House accepts it”. Mr. Naidu was quick to adjourn the House.
Rajya Sabha | 11:09 am
Motions for election to the Tea Board and for election to committee on welfare of other backward classes are adopted.
Lok Sabha | 11:05 am
The Lower House is entertaining questions concerning cultivation of spices.
11:02 am
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha resume
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha resume their proceedings for the seventeenth day of the winter session.
Papers are being laid on the table in Rajya Sabha. Question Hour begins in Lok Sabha.
10:14 am
Legislative Business for December 21, 2021 is as follows:
Lok Sabha:
1. The Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for consideration and passing.
Rajya Sabha:
1. The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for consideration and passing.
2. The Appropriation (No.5) Bill, 2021 for consideration and return.
Date | Time
₹13,109 cr recovered from economic fugitives: Finance Minister
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that banks have recovered ₹13,109.17 crore by selling the assets of fugitives like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.
The Minister’s comments came during her reply to a discussion on the second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants which was passed by the Lok Sabha by a voice vote.
The discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants, authorising the government to spend an additional ₹3.73 lakh crore during the current fiscal, concluded last week.
10:15 am
Government not allowing discussion on important issues in Parliament: Rahul
Accusing the government of not allowing a discussion on important issues, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Union Government is responsible to run Parliament and not the Opposition.
“They are attacking democracy. There is a non-stop attack on democracy and that is why we are fighting here,” Mr. Gandhi told reporters, adding that the Narendra Modi government was not allowing any debate on price rise, Ladakh, minimum support price (MSP) and Lakhimpur Kheri violence among other issues.
Mr. Gandhi had given a notice for an adjournment motion to discuss the issue of the “statehood and inclusion of Ladakh in Schedule VI of Consitution”.
However, the issue couldn’t be taken up as the Lok Sabha witnessed multiple adjournments over the Opposition’s demand to sack Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni because of his alleged involvement in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence.
10:02 am
Day 16 recap
Lok Sabha passed the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 amidst unrelenting protests from the Opposition members. Both the Houses witnessed Opposition protests throughout the day on Monday. In the Lok Sabha, Opposition members called for discussions on various issues, including the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which Ashish Mishra, son of Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, is the prime accused.
‘The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ was moved in the Rajya Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman amidst continued protests by Opposition MPs. And even as the Chair asked the members to speak on the subject, many Opposition MPs continued raising the matter of suspension of 12 of their colleagues as well as their demand of removal of Mr. Mishra.
During the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, questions concerning Mid-Day Meal schemes, conservation of monuments, conservation of forests, social security benefits for gig and platform workers, and opportunities for overseas jobs for the youth of the country were entertained.
